Jack Draper makes winning return from injury at European Open
- Planet Sport writer
- 18 October 2022
Great Britain's Jack Draper made an impressive return to action with a convincing victory over American Jenson Brooksby at the European Open in Antwerp on Monday.
The 20-year-old world number 48, who had been out since suffering a hamstring injury at the US Open last month, eased to a 6-1 6-2 victory in his first-round match in Belgium.
His reward for seeing off the world number 41 will be a second-round date with top seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.
Draper said: "It went really well. Jenson is unbelievably awkward - he competes really hard and wins a lot of matches.
"I'm a bit rusty. I knew it would be tough and there would be moments when I'd be really tired and, if you come through that, you feel stronger. Hopefully I can move forward from that."
Gone in 60 minutes šā°@jackdraper0 needs just an hour to race through 6-1 6-2#EuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/rtXjymOhOp
ā ATP Tour (@atptour) October 17, 2022
Draper was joined in the second round by countryman Dan Evans, the fifth seed, after a 6-3 6-4 win over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.
Evans took a grip on the match with a break in the sixth game of the first set. He survived a break point against him in the sixth game of the second set before claiming another crucial break himself in the next.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray will be in action on Tuesday when he faces Spain's Jaume Munar.
